Tobacco tamping device and lighter combination



Oct. 4, 1955 5 BACHMAN 2,719,526

TOBACCO TAMPING DEVICE AND LIGHTER COMBINATION Filed Dec. 26, 1.951

FIG. 2

//V l/E N TOR 5m, M; BRCHMAN Hi5 H11 5 United States Patent TOBACCOTAlVlPING DEVICE AND LIGHTER COMBINATION Skuli M. Bachman, Winnipeg,Manitoba, Canada Application December 26, 1951, Serial No. 263,368

2 Claims. (Cl. 131-247) My invention relates to new and usefulimprovements in pipe tampers, more particularly in tampers used by pipesmokers in order to depress the tobacco within the bowl thereof afterlighting same and an object of my invention is to provide a device ofthe character herewithin described which is designed specifically forattachment to and used with a conventional cigarette lighter.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the characterherewithin described which is readily extendable and retractable by theuser from the casing of the lighter either after having ignited thetobacco in the pipe with the lighter or for depressing same during theburning of the tobacco within the pipe bowl.

Yet a further object of my invention is to provide a device of thecharacter herewithin described which can either be built in during theconstruction of the lighter or, alternatively, may be purchasedseparately and readily attached to the lighter without structuralalterations being necessary to the latter.

Another object of my invention is to provide a device of the characterherewithin described which, due to the extension and retractioncharacteristics thereof, prevents same from interfering with the normaloperation of the lighter inasmuch as the same is provided with means formaintaining the tapering device in either the extended or retractedposition as required.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a device of thecharacter herewithin described which is relatively economical inmanufacture, simple in operation, and otherwise suited for the purposefor which it is designed.

With the foregoing objects in view, and such other objects andadvantages as will become apparent to those skilled in the art to whichthis invention relates as this specification proceeds, my inventionconsists essentially in the arrangement and construction of parts all ashereinafter more particularly described, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings in which:

Figure l is a perspective view of a conventional cigarette lightersectioned in part and showing one embodiment of my device in theretracted position.

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of a conventional lighter with my devicein situ.

Figure 3 is an enlarged side elevation of the tamping device shown inFigure 1, the view being taken from the inner side thereof.

Figure 4 is an end plan view of Figure 3.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on the line5-5 of Fig. 3.

In the drawings like characters of reference indicate correspondingparts in the different figures.

It is well known among tobacco pipe smokers that, in order for thetobacco to burn evenly and be ignited correctly, the surface of thetobacco within the bowl of the pipe has to be tamped downwardly withinthe bowl during the lighting operation thereof as well as during thesmoking operation.

2,719,526 Patented Oct. 4, 1955 It is also well known that many tobaccopipe smokers dislike using a conventional cigarette lighter for theignition of the tobacco within the pipe bowl inasmuch as the lighteritself cannot be used for the tamping process whereas a conventionalwooden match can be utilized for this purpose as a temporary tamperduring the ignition of the tobacco surface.

I have, therefore, designed the tamping device hereinafter to bedescribed which is adapted to be secured to a conventional cigarettelighter and yet which, due to the extending and retractingcharacteristics deriving therefrom, does not interfere with the use ofthe lighter for other purposes.

Proceeding first to describe the'embodiment of my invention illustratedin Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings, it will be seenthat I have shown a conventional lighter collectively designated 1 beingof the type having an approximately elliptical configuration when viewedin horizontal section and comprising a hollow lighter casing 2, having atop plate 3 and a base plate 4, and being provided with a wick assembly5, together with a flint action, collectively designated 6.

At one side 7 of the casing 2, I have provided a pair of verticallyextending recesses 8, said recesses extending from the top plate 3 tothe base plate 4, thus leaving a centrally exposed shoulder 9, havingsurfaces or sides 10, which form the inner sides of the aforementionedrecesses 8.

A tamping device, collectively designated 11 includes a pair of parallelstems 12, spanned at the ends thereof by a heel piece 13. The oppositeends 14 of the stems 12 are provided with bearing bosses 15, andextending inwardly from these bosses are a pair of pivot pins 16, whichin turn, are engageable within apertures 17 formed within the base ofthe shoulder 9 of the casing 2. These bosses 15 and stems 12 may becylindrical as shown in Figures 1 and 3 or may be shaped to conform withthe configuration of the case 2 when in the closed position shown inFigure 2. By this means it will be observed that the tamping unit 11 ishingedly secured adjacent the base of the casing 2 and is slingable fromthe position shown in Figure l to a position therefrom in the directionof arrow 18 so that the heel 13 can extend below the base plate 4 of thelighter. In this connection, it will be observed that the heel piece 13is recessed by the provision of a U-shaped aperture 19.

This aperture 19 serves two purposes, firstly it prevents choking of thetobacco being tamped and secondly, it permits the heel piece to nestaround the aforementioned wick assembly 5, so that the tamping unitnests against the side of the lighter when in the retracted position ofFigure 1.

Means are provided in order to lock the tamping device either in theretracted position shown in Figure l or in the extended position ashereinbefore described, said means taking the form of cams 20, formedupon the inner surfaces of the bearing bosses 15, and it will beobserved that these cams are of elongated configuration and liesubstantially parallel to the longitudinal axes of the stems 12.Reference to Figure 2 will show that corresponding grooves or recesses21 are formed within the inner faces 10 of the recesses 8, said groovesbeing parallel to the vertical axis of the lighter casing 2, so that,when the tamping device is in the retracted position shown in Figure 1or in the fully extended position 180 therefrom, the cams 20 engagewithin the grooves 21, thus locking the tamping device in either ofthese positions. It is to be appreciated that the stems 12 of thetamping device exert inward bias due to the construction thereof therebyresisting movement from either the retracted or extended position butthat if pressure is applied either in the direction of arrow 18 or inthe reversed direction thereto,

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the cams 20 are permitted to disengage from the grooves 21, thuspermitting the tamping unit to be rotated as desired.

Since various modifications can be made in my invention as hereinabovedescribed, and many apparently Widely different embodiments of same madewithin the spirit and scope of the claims Without departing from suchspirit and scope, it is intended that all matter contained in theaccompanying specification shall be interpreted as illustrative only andnot in a limiting sense.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A tobacco tamping device comprising a casing having a pair ofrecessed portions at one side thereof and a projection mounted on saidcasing between said recessed portions and extending thereabove, a pairof stems, one pivoted in each recessed portion at one end thereof, atamping heel secured to and spanning the opposite ends of said stems andbeing swingable with said stems from a retracted position adjacent saidcasing wherein said stems are nested in said recessed portions, to anextended position remote from said casing wherein said heel is exposedfor tamping, said heel having an apertured portion to prevent chokingoftobacco being tamped, said apertured portion being adapted to straddlesaid projection to permit said stems to nest in said recesses againstthe side of said casing in retracted position, and means on said casingand stems for locking said stems and heel in retracted and extendedpositions.

2. The device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said stems are springbiased toward the inner walls of said recessed portions; and saidlocking means includes a pair of cams formed on the ends of said stemspivoted in said recessed portions, the inner walls of said recessedportions having grooves formed therein, whereby said cams are urgedtoward said grooves by said spring biased stems, and said cams arelockably engageable in said grooves when said stems are in extended andin retracted position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS544,691 Rupprecht Aug. 20, 1895 865,547 Walker Sept. 10, 1907 1,602,607Douglass Oct. 12, 1926 2,081,976 Anderson June 1, 1937 2,444,663 MillerJuly 6, 1948 2,536,852 Middleton Jan. 2, 1951 2,539,249 Holland Jan. 23,1951 2,585,071 Allen Feb. 12, 1952

